#MergerMondays: Sarah’s Inn

“Collaboration is a key component for ensuring that our clients are getting all their needs met and are able to sustain themselves in a life free of violence.” -Carol Gall, Executive Director of Sarah’s Inn. 

That’s right, Carol! 💪

“One organization alone can’t take on the mammoth responsibility of addressing systemic barriers for vulnerable populations, with layers of poverty, racism and inequality. We’re all better as a whole than siloed” - Lynda Schueler, CEO of Housing Forward. 

You said it, Lynda!! 🎉

I often talk about the gap between the intentions and the reality of nonprofits. We have so many great nonprofits with incredible missions all around the country. But in reality, the people they are trying to serve are often left to figure out how they can run from one charitable organization to another in order to fulfill their basic needs. 

That’s why I was so excited to read about three nonprofits in Oak Park, Illinois, coming together and making an effort to collaborate with other organizations and social services to comprehensively meet the needs of their community. Unlike so many of the other #sustainedcollaborations we celebrate, which involve organizations coming together to work towards a shared goal, this collaboration brings together organizations that support different, but complementary core needs all in one place. 
Sarah’s Inn, an organization that provides support for victims of domestic violence, recognizes the diverse needs of the people it serves. Domestic violence does not exist as an isolated issue, but victims are often faced with legal, mental health, housing, and financial struggles as well. Sarah’s Inn makes an effort to intentionally choose partners that are experts in these varied areas, breaking down the siloes and working as one.

Carol Gall, executive director of Sarah’s Inn recognizes the privilege of having such a resource-rich community, stressing that “Collaboration is a key component for ensuring that our clients are getting all their needs met and are able to sustain themselves in a life free of violence.”

Sarah’s Inn works very closely with Thrive Counseling Center to support the mental health needs of their clients as well as lawyers from the Pro Bono Network to help with free legal advice. Currently, Sarah’s Inn works very closely with Housing Forward, a multi-pronged agency that works to end homelessness through emergency overnight shelter, interim housing as well as financial assistance.

Together, these organizations have formed Safe Bridge, a program that provides housing specifically for victims of domestic violence. “One organization alone can’t take on the mammoth responsibility of addressing systemic barriers for vulnerable populations, with layers of poverty, racism and inequality. We’re all better as a whole than siloed,” says Lynda Schueler, CEO of Housing Forward. 

The more organizations continue to partner up, offering their individual services in an all-inclusive and coordinated manner, the better they can serve the complex needs of their communities and benefit from each other’s expertise and resources.

You can read more about details of this story and Sarah’s Inn’s approach to collaboration here.